Washington (CNN) - If there were any doubts that comprehensive immigration reform efforts were dead on Capitol Hill this year, House Speaker John Boehner eliminated them on Wednesday.

Boehner repeated his long standing opposition to the Senate-passed immigration bill and his pledge the House would never vote on it, but he went a step further, drawing a bright line: "I'll make clear we have no intention ever of going to conference on the Senate bill."
Last week the third ranking House Republican, GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-California, told immigration reform advocates that there wasn't enough time left this year for the House to take up immigration reform. The House is in session 15 days between now and the end of the year.

After Republicans lost the presidential election in 2012 and Hispanic voters voted overwhelmingly for President Obama, Boehner said it was time for Congress to pass major immigration reforms.

"I think a comprehensive approach is long overdue. And I’m confident that the president, myself, others can find the common ground to take care of this issue once and for all," Boehner said in an interview with ABC News the week after the election.

Facing sharp divisions inside his conference on the issue, Boehner insists he still wants action but says any legislation has to be done in pieces.

"I want us to deal with this issue but I want to deal with it in a common sense step by step way," he said Wednesday.

A series of targeted immigration bills have passed the House Judiciary Committee - mostly focused on border security and enforcement - but GOP leaders have not scheduled any floor votes on any of them.

A significant bloc of House conservatives is adamantly opposed to any measure that provides a path to citizenship or legal status for the 11 million undocumented workers in the United States. So far, none of the House GOP proposals addresses that issue, but opponents worry that any negotiation with the Senate would ratchet up pressure on House Republicans to deal with questions of citizenship.

Boehner's statement Wednesday declaring no talks with the Senate on its bill was designed to put those concerns to rest.

The Speaker brushed aside a question of whether House GOP leaders were avoiding the divisive debate on immigration reform to focus on problems with the implementation of Obamacare.

"This is about trying to do this in a way that the American people and our members can absorb," Boehner said, adding immigration reform is too complicated to rush.

"There are hundreds of issues involved in dealing with immigration reform, and we've got to deal with these in a common sense way where our members understand what we're doing and their constituents understand."

soundoff(636 Responses)

Dallas

Is anyone really surprised? Once again Boehner shows what a jerk he is and further solidifying the fact that he is the worst Speaker of the House in history. This is nothing more than him trying to twist the knife in President Obama's back once again – well John, come next November when you start cleaning out your office you'll wish you'd played nice! Go back to Ohio!

November 13, 2013 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

gwood25

Great news! It's great to see this train wreck of a party, the GOTP, self destruct with their obstructionist ways! Won't confirm a single nominee, shut down the government, gave us the id*ots Palin and Cruz, now immigration reform is off the table too! See you at the Mid-Terms!!!

November 13, 2013 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

Doug in NYC

To all those calling for our immigration laws to be enforced, great I agree! Now lets look at reality, since President Obama took office, arrests and deportations have been increasing. Don't believe me, look it up yourself!

Now, the republicants in congress have cut spending in the name of shrinking "Big Government". Now pray tell, without increasing INS funding, which is a Federal Department, you know part of that "Big Gubermint" and without increasing spending or the national debt or without increasing the number of Federal "Big Gubermint" employees, how does the right intend to increase the enforcement of the immigration laws?

Oops, didn't think that one through did you?

November 13, 2013 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

Just_One

Don't need amnesty again. The pathway to citzenship exist within current legislation. American citzenship should not be handed out just to appease a lazy entitlement minded group of lawbreakers,.

November 13, 2013 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

ST

Am afraid to say republicans have no brain at all. You dish the Immigration Reform, then you are doomed for a failure. Forget about ACA. You are eliminating these two major blocs, African-American on ACA, and Latinos on Immigration, you will never reach anywhere. Thats the only short piece I can give you. You can take it or leave it.

November 13, 2013 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |

Jose Mendiola

Like i said before,a bunch of gutless leaders, who have no connection to the Hispanic population.

November 13, 2013 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |

Anonymous

We are a nation of immigrants that have always despised immigrants

November 13, 2013 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |

Wise Bruce

Most of the comments so far seem to disaprrove of the speakers position. Unfortunately these views do not represent the majority of Americians in this coutry. Illegal means "Illegal -law breakers" and you don't reward those who break the law. If your stopped for a minor traffic violation and it's discovered you are not in this country illegally, you should be turned over to immigration (ICE) for deportation. If you are arrested for a crime and sentenced,, after you complete that sentence you should be deported.
Current immigration laws, if enforced, would stop a lot of border and intercity crime by illimating those who comment some of the most violent crimes. It would reduce drug distribution and usage and would reduce slave forced prostitution. But we are not enforcing those laws and states are being handcuffed who do attempt too.
We need a new administration in Washington. You don't solve a problem like illegal immagration by awarding them amnesty.

November 13, 2013 02:25 pm at 2:25 pm |

Drew

Oh well...Time for states to follow California...

November 13, 2013 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

JohnRJohnson

Will look at those blood shot eyes. Either he's about to cry or he's totally loaded.

November 13, 2013 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

Sniffit

"All this will do is bring our country down more by taking away jobs and more welfare."

Except several expert studies have already shown that it will help the economy, increase GDP and create about 6 million jobs (an average of 14,000 per congressional district).

November 13, 2013 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

O'drama ya Mama

But but but the Hispanics only vote Democrat because of handouts....or maybe its because the Republicans publicly state their dislike for you

November 13, 2013 02:26 pm at 2:26 pm |

Enforcethem

We don't need new reforms, we need to enforce the laws on the books now. Plain and simple and not political at all.

November 13, 2013 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

Faizan

I thought this was Breaking News lol.

November 13, 2013 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

J

This is great news! Illegals should be deported not reward for their criminal behavior of breaking into our country. Implement e-verify, seal the border, don't allow the criminal illegal invaders to have licenses, in-state tuition, etc. and actually work for AMERICANS, not no-good unemployment increasing, wage depressing, illegal criminal invaders!

November 13, 2013 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

Hans

Wow, sure is a ton of whiny lying liberals on here.

November 13, 2013 02:28 pm at 2:28 pm |

Ace

Why narrow it down? Is this House going to ever take action on anything, period?

November 13, 2013 02:29 pm at 2:29 pm |

Hans

Hey folks, my stepson has been waiting for a legal visa since 1995, so I guess if I bring him over illegally you will like him? Illegals do not need amnesty, they need to have all they own confiscated and then boot them out, if they come back, execute them without trial.

November 13, 2013 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

rs

rachel

There are more important things to deal with on the table than immigration. We have a budget to worry about. We have a train wreck of obama care. Enough said!!!
_________________________
Don't fret Rachel, Boehner can't pass a budget, and after 45 votes and $60 million wasted, he can't do anything about the ACA either. Enough said, Republicans can't lead!

November 13, 2013 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

Boo

Do any of these Republicans DO ANYTHING in DC? I am sick to death of these PARASITES.

November 13, 2013 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

Brad

It's sad but true that the only way to have a connection with Hispanics is to allow them to do illegal things. This country doesn't need any more freeloaders, we already have enough Democrats. GO HOME MEXICANS YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE!!!!!

November 13, 2013 02:31 pm at 2:31 pm |

DenDen

He makes a flat statement
I rule out
Not willing to even start talking
50 years a voting Republican,
I rule out voting republican again

November 13, 2013 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

Logictox

We have immigration laws? You wouldn't know it, in my area, I will bet 20% of the population doesn't speak English. At some point years ago being in the country illegally stopped being a crime.

November 13, 2013 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

ARMYCSM

@micheal, dude it is people like you that makes up the fool rules in the house. But, you can rest assure come Nov 2014, this country will rise to the level it should have been if it wasn't for your kind in and outside of the house. It's not Obama. It's you haters of everything you cannot and never will be, able to control. Your grip lessen with each passing day. It's just the universal way it is, what goes around...

November 13, 2013 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

Jehan S

So because the GOP hates the idea of amnesty they are going to allow the border to be open and underfunded? How does that make sense? Immigration reform isn't only about amnesty .. it's also about preventing further illegal entry. Without the law, their will STILL be illegal immigration .. not having amnesty is going to do nothing but ensure a supply of cheap labor to cut Boehner's lawn. I understand how people feel about amnesty but these people are already here .. I mean if someone eats a slices of your cake .. you can fine them but you can't make them puke it out or cut out their flesh .. the punishment of deporting someone who established themselves here AND is not living on public/taxpayers is greater than the crime of illegal entry which as I understand it is a misdemeanor. Some of these people were not intending to steal but rather thought they were going to get to escape their lives in the country of oriigin and get to work here etc.